Georgy's self-doubt @ No 10

Well, I must say, Boy David's feet have hardly touched ground since President Obama came and went.   Some of the glitter seems to have rubbed off and onto his shoulders!   Least ways, that's what he thinks!   He's been strutting the European stage like a veritable Blair: head held high, jaw thrust out, tummy held in!   Pronouncements on Europe, the Euro, various wars, foreign aid!  The list goes on and on!

He's going to come right back down to reality with a bump when he enters No 10's black door again!  But for the moment let him dream he's important on the world - er.. European - stage.

For his next door neighbour, Georgy, things have not been so smooth.   Arturo, his under stairs cat, has been feeding me the gossip!  Poor old Georgy!  He was convinced that his economic policies were working so well!  The Tory front bench were in awe!   Even that troublesome fellow, Cable, seemed to be in agreement with him.  All was going 'jolly swimmingly' as he would say.   Then, flash, bang, wallop!  Out of the bright blue sky came the news that:

the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) downgraded its forecast for UK economic growth this year from 1.5 to 1.4 per cent

They have also lowered next year's forecast from '2 to 1.8 per cent'.  This is lower than the Office for Budget Responsibility's predictions of 1.7 per cent for this year and 2.5 per cent for next year.

So what?  Do I hear you ask?  Well, not being an economist, though being remarkably well read for a cat, even I can see that things don't look good!  Ration books on the horizon!  Soup-kitchens in Park Lane!  Could well be signs for the future!

Then, from out of the woodwork, came the man with the hypnotising eyes. The man with the 'he-who-must-be-obeyed' look, Ed Balls saw the figures and grinned! Then he said

George Osborne's rigid determination, despite all the evidence, to stick with deep and fast cuts and refuse to even consider a Plan B does not boost his credibility, it undermines it.

So there you are! Georgy's star is not rising! It's flagging!  One cheerful note though not on an economic point, Ed Balls is not all grin and joy, this weekend.  He also has his own little problems too - they are in the form of one Ms Shoesmith!  So, Georgy will know that the gods are even-handed.

As for me - life is good!   No 10 is quiet at the moment.  The food scraps are plentiful!  The place is warm and cosy.  No need to hunt for rats tonight - found a half-eaten chicken carcass.  Seventh heaven for a cat like me.